


Just a High School Love Story

by APersianNerd



Category: Buzzfeed Unsolved (Web Series)
Genre: High School AU, M/M, again im trying, also contains bullying, bfu, but it's cute, buzzfeed unsolved - Freeform, cause im sweet, contains some cursing, i also don't speak that well in english so bare with me, just like a heads up, like a shit ton, lots of fluff, shyan, this is also my first publish so im trying my best here, with love elle
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-03-14
Updated: 2018-06-06
Packaged: 2019-03-31 03:46:45
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 7,379
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13966668
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/APersianNerd/pseuds/APersianNerd
Summary: Shane Madej was just your slightly above average highschooler.Smart, relaxed, kind, and introverted.But he was in love.





	1. Just a basketball game

**Author's Note:**

> Hello!! This is my first story here on Ao3. Like I mentioned in my weird tags, English is my second language so if anything is weird (such as wording, spelling, grammar, etc), feel free to tell me. While I'm on this website to publish my works, I'm also here to grow and learn as a writer and any constructive criticism will help me.
> 
> This fic will also be on-going, with that I'll try to at least update once every two weeks. I'm a busy high school student who has other things to do besides writing shyan fluff on Ao3 (but I still love to do it). 
> 
> Now I will leave you be and let you enjoy the story!!
> 
> Tumblr: apersiannerd

Shane Madej was just your slightly above average highschooler.

Smart, relaxed, kind, and introverted.

But he was in love.

In love with someone who only glanced at him exactly four times throughout his three years of high school, just for a picture in the school newspaper.

Shane Madej was in love with Ryan Bergara, the head basketball player at their school.

To Shane’s eyes, Ryan was everything he could ever want. His genuine smile whenever he would greet his peers. And his little celebration dance he would do after making a shot at a game (even though he wanted to be discreet, Shane always took notice). Or Ryan’s laugh when his eyes would smile and his nose would crinkle as his laugh brightened the mood of the room.

Shane promised himself to not get too attached to Ryan knowing he would probably have his heart broken. That promise was immediately broken as Shane (quietly) asked his crush for a picture to put in the school newspaper of Ryan holding a basketball at a game. Ryan’s glimmering eyes turned towards Shane as he had a radiant smile formed on his lips. “Sure,” the boy replied, putting the ball in front of himself, holding with two hands. Shane took the picture and hid behind the camera to make his blushing not noticeable.

Shane kept asking for one picture at every game for the next three weeks, with his love only growing for the basketball player.

The tall student was currently at the state championship game, just there to take pictures for the newspaper, as always.

His best friend of six years, Sara Rubin, the only other photographer for the school newspaper, approached him, with her camera ready to take some photos.

“Hey, Shane! Um- who’s going to what place? Should I go near the basket of the guest team and you for the basket of our team?” Shane nodded while focusing on the camera set-up. “Remember to not get too distracted by Bergara.”

Sara was the only one Shane could truly confide in. She was the first person who he could come out of the closet as gay. The first person he could spill his insecurities to. The first person he could tell about how Ryan Bergara was his first guy crush and that he had no chance of calling him, his lover.

Sure Shane had his parents but when he came out to his parents, his mom told the neighborhood gossip mom’s and his dad told him it was just a phase and that he too also ‘felt gay’ once but quickly got over it.

Shane rolled his eye obnoxiously and scoffed, “I don’t get too distracted by him. I’m a professional!”

“Oh really?” Sara grinned as it seemed she was pulling a picture up. She then turned the camera screen towards Shane and switched her glance from him to the photo many, fast times.

The photo was Shane staring at Ryan during the game with the most admiration-filled eyes in the world. His smile was bright and his cheeks filled with a blush. “Okay Mister-I’m-too-professional, this picture was taken a few seconds before the ball hit you right on the head. Distracted much?”

“I-I was just-” Shane knew that the reason the ball hit his head was that he was too busy admiring Ryan’s final shot that won the game. Again, Sara was right. It was spectacular as everyone cheered for him, the crowds in the stands roaring with excitement. And Shane. He looked up at Ryan with every one of his teammates carrying Ryan on their shoulders. Glorious.

"God damn it- you're right."

Sara plastered a sly smirk on her lips as her legs began to move slowly towards the other end of the court. "Don't worry though. I'll yell four when the ball gets too close to your head."

Shane rolled his eyes while a chuckle escaped his lips knowing that Sara used the wrong sports term. He wasn't even a fan of sports and knew it was incorrect!

* * *

 

The whistle blew twenty minutes later. Signaling the game had started.

The home team entered with Ryan jogging to the court, gesturing his hands at the crowd for them to cheer. The audience followed his signal and erupted into joyous and loud yelling as their favorite player told them to do so.

Shane, however, was too busy gazing at Ryan to notice all the poster's that had cheesy words to encourage the home team. Ryan, felt someone gazing at him and made eye contact with Shane. The tall photographer, being unlike the rest, didn't turn his head immediately. Instead, he mouthed 'good luck' and his crush responded with a thumbs up, running towards the center of the court.

The game confused the hell out of Shane. The confusing part being- Ryan didn't make any goals. The two teams were tied. But Ryan never made any goals or whatever they called them. The photographer turned his head to the coach and immediately saw dismay clearly in his eyes. Hell, it was in everyone's eyes.

Shane turned his head back to the game as he noticed ten seconds remaining. Ryan then snatched the ball from the opposing team's hand and made his way down the court.

_9_

The crowd's scream became louder.

_8_

Shane turned around and noticed the coach's eyes lighting up with the same bliss Ryan had in his eyes in the beginning.

_7_

Shane turned his head back and saw his crush being chased by the guest team.

_6_

Ryan was near the basketball hoop.

_5_

Shane got his camera lifted up to his eye, focusing on the basketball hoop Ryan was aiming for.

_4_

The crowd got louder.

_3_

Ryan made a shot and Shane took a picture.

_2_

And the ball made it in. 

_1_

The alarm blared through the court, however, the crowd's screaming of joy overpowered the sound. Shane even yelled too which was very unlikely of him as he was known to be a very quiet kid. He then looked down at his camera, specifically the photo he just took. 

_And it was a marvelous picture._

It showed the moment the home team won the championship game. The basketball was halfway in between the rim as Ryan's hands were still in the position of which he threw the ball in. You could see some of the opposing team's faces which were filled with utter humiliation. Shane immediately ran to Sara, almost bumping into a few coaches and officials. 

The reaction on her face was priceless. Pure shock. "Holy dang, Madej! You really didn't get distracted," Sara exclaimed. 

"Told ya' I'm professional." The tall student had a smug, little grin on his mouth as he went outside of the doors before the crowd came.

__

* * *

 

Like Shane had predicted, the crowd rushed afterwards in about two minutes. He learned to leave right after the celebration part of the game after attending many basketball games. 

He leaned himself against a wall still admiring his well-timed picture. A smile then rested on his lips which again, was also unusual. 

Ten minutes passed and he was still enjoying his picture. God, he couldn't wait to put it in the newspaper for next week's edition. The heavy crowd now became only a few people every now and then, the dust.

"Whatcha looking at?"

Shane looked up- well more like down at the three basketball players from the home team, still wearing their awful-smelling jerseys. What did they want from him? All the photographer has his camera and himself. Just that. He also noticed the other students were walking closer to him, almost like they were trying to corner him?

"-Eh uh, just checking some pictures I took from the game tonight," Shane replied nervously, he turned off his camera and put it closer to his chest, "congratulations by the way. Pretty impressive."

Shane slowly walked to a side with the most room where his lanky body could fit through. One of the players lifted their arm, blocking the now anxious student from leaving. "You see, I- well we- have a question about something. Why do you always take a picture of Bergara, but not us? Don't try and pretend you don't because I notice you at every, single game and every, single time, the camera is on him. Not us. Why?"

"Let me out," Shane demanded, "What I do with my own camera, I paid for, is not up to you." This also was highly unusual for the student as he was kind to everyone. Yet, he felt threatened around the group of the three basketball players.

"I suppose we didn't want to come this far," The same guy replied, "but you left us no choice." Two of the players pinned Shane against the wall, he may have been tall but he was weak. The tallest of the three grabbed the camera from Shane and opened it.

"No!" 

The same basketball player snatched the SD card and broke it in two. All Shane could give out was an angry glare but his swelling throat was not helping. The guy decided to be just a little bit extra as he chucked Shane's camera to the floor, shattering it. 

Shattering Shane's heart.

"Stop!" 

What the photographer hadn't been expecting was the voice of Ryan Bergara, his crush. Shane turned his head and noticed Ryan looking comfortable as ever wearing a white short-sleeve shirt and gray sweatpants. 

The three players bolted away from Shane, giving one extra (and necessary) kick towards the camera. 

Ryan then came to Shane's aid as the tall student went to try and find the remains of his camera on the floor.

"Hey, what happened?" The first words Ryan ever said to Shane.

"Well, I was just looking at the pictures of the game and those- jerks or whatever decided to break my camera for not taking a picture of them I guess." He was still gazing at the broken camera while giving a light shrug while also going to leave out the part where he was only taking pictures of Ryan. He didn't want his first impression to come off as stalker-like.

"I'm sorry," Ryan no longer had the genuine grin that was always apparent on his lips. His eyebrows furrowed as his eyes became saddened-filled, "-Is there anything I can do?" Shane shook his head slowly. "Well- all right. I think my mom may have some pictures of the game, I think I can send you some," His eyes lit up with vast amounts of joy feeling like he could help the photographer who just wanted his pictures.

Shane slowly smiled even though it felt like he lost his only joy in the world. "That would be appreciated."

Ryan got up and held out his hand, "I've seen you at all the games. I may as well find out your name."

Shane shook his hand, "Shane Madej."

 

 

 

 


	2. Damn. You really are in love.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ryan and Shane get closer.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> From Ryan's POV  
> tumblr!! apersiannerd

Ryan was sitting at his usual lunch table with his several friends, them being Eugene, quarterback of the football team (and always ready to argue with Ryan- which sport is better, basketball or football), Ned, another member of the football team, not afraid to get nasty, Jen, a sweet friend who was the only one with common sense in their group, Steven, another basketball player, usually on the bench half the time, and Zach, the only one who knew the way to Eugene's heart due to the fact he was his boyfriend.

"So you finally made the move on your crush, Bergara? Nice!" Eugene gave the basketball player a pat on the back with a grin just hinting a little smirk.

"It wasn't a move," Ryan responded, "I-I was just being kind. I saw him getting beat up by a few other players and decided to step in."

"That's definitely a move," Steven added as he sat down with his awfully-looking cafeteria food.

"It's not! A move is me asking him on a date or something!" Ryan was getting slightly annoyed how his kindness got turned into crushing, yet thoughts rushed through his head,  _ did  I make a move _ ?

Sure he had one huge crush on Shane Madej. He would speak to him all day if he wanted to. The player just felt like he would come off as clingy.

The crush on Madej started like a war. Something small. Ryan would notice Shane through the hallways talking about how good the focus on his camera was. Sure it was something small but the boy adored his passion for something he loved dearly. Then, it grew. At every game, Ryan would notice Shane on the court, with his camera but he would also notice his little grin when the tall student noticed him having his little, traditional celebration dance. If anyone else saw him, he would stop and freeze. Yet with Shane, Ryan would do it for a few more seconds, just to see him smile one more time.

Jen sat down across from Ryan with a shrug, "Then do ask him on a date. The worst thing that could happen is that he shuts you down."

"She has a point," Shouted Ned, the farthest of the friends away from Ryan.

The friend group gave each other little smirks while looking at each other simultaneously. They were up to something. One of the friends started out with a whispered chant of 'do it', then the rest of the friends caught on to it, getting louder with each time.

Ryan groaned while rolling his eyes out of sheer annoyance. "-Fine! I'll do it. Just- I got this." With that Ryan got up and scanned the crowded lunchroom in search of Shane.

After a few minutes of looking, he found his crush, sitting unwanted in the corner of the cafeteria, along with his friend, Sara, who Ryan saw at the other games taking pictures.

The boy turned back to his friends who were all giving him thumbs up with little-closed smiles of pure delight, but also, mischief. Ryan turned back to Shane who was currently checking out Sara's camera for any photos of the championship game.

A deep exhale was released from the basketball player as his stride became an eternal nightmare but before he could walk away, Shane already noticed him.

_ Keep walking towards him, the worst he can say is no. _

Ryan gave a light wave towards Shane, with the crush also giving a wave back still confused as to why the shorter student was approaching him. The athlete then sat down in front of Shane and his friend giving a slow, weird nod. "So- how are you? Those jackasses Friday night sure hurt you. Just wanted to check in." He tried to make his tone nonchalant as possible, trying to keep his anxiety discreet. Ryan also didn't know how to ask him on a date right off the bat.

_ Hey, I really really like you with all my heart, wanna got out? _

No! Ryan wouldn't do that. He didn't have the confidence to ask him.

"Uh- yeah, I'm fine," Shane replied with a hint of uneasiness, "Thank you though for checking on me!"

_ Now's your time Ryan. Just say the eight words. _

_ Do you want to go on a date? _

"Hey! Uh-" Ryan on the outside seemed casual and fine but the glance of the eye, on the inside, however, he was panicking. This wasn't like him! "I was thinking if you would like to walk home with me. I have a gift to give you," He blurted out. While he knew what his gift was, he didn't know how he would get it with Shane watching him.

"A-a-a gift?" The photographer seemed astonished, almost like he never received a gift in his life.

"Yes," Ryan chuckled, "A gift, from yours truly." He then got up, feeling quite proud of himself, walking over to his friends who were giving Ryan worried looks.

He sat down and Jen was the first to break the silence. "So, how did it go."

"I didn't ask him on a date."

The whole table of friends sighed with disappointment.

"But! I did offer to walk with him to my house to give him a gift."

"A gift," Eugene raised his eyebrows, "that's lame."

"Not when you give him a camera because some fuckwads on the basketball team decided to be such dicks to him and shatter his other camera plus the SD card!" With every word Ryan spoke, his voice got faster and filled with pure rage. It was wrong of them to hurt him for no explicit reason!

"Damn. You really are in love," Ned commented with the rest nodding in agreement.

* * *

 

Ryan waited impatiently for Shane to come to his locker at the end of the day so they could walk home.

He also had a fairly decent conversation with his brother to go get a camera.

_ Me: Hey can you get a camera while I'm at school, it's for a project im doing _

_ Jake: y do you need a camera??? _

_ Me: Like I said, a project _

_ Jake: Im confused but you better pay me back _

_ Me: kk, get the best one tho, it's what's requested _

_ Me: jake... _

_ Me: Jake!! _

Nonetheless, he got the camera.

"You waited for me?" Shane questioned while approaching his locker.

Ryan gave him the biggest grin in the entire world while looking up from his phone, "Why wouldn't I? I wouldn't expect you to somehow find me in the vast amount of students here."

"That's sweet," Shane grabbed his backpack and followed Ryan through the halls that were emptying slowly but surely.

The two made small talk along the way such as why Shane loves photography or how many trophies Ryan has won.

Once they made it to the Bergara house, Ryan opened the door for Shane and followed him through.

"Welcome to mi casa. I have to go talk to my brother- about something but if you go upstairs, make a right, my room should be the first one on the right." Ryan pointed upstairs as he walked to the kitchen, noticing Jake with a camera next to him.

"It costs six hundred dollars. You owe me lots," Jake stated when he noticed his brother come in.

"I know, I know but thank you." Ryan grabbed the camera along with his backpack. He hid the gift behind his back as he slowly walked up the stairs to his room.

He noticed Shane admiring all his photos from when he was a young child, such as his glasses that would be considered "dorky" and his braces that attracted attention to Ryan everywhere he went. Ryan internally groaned as he felt embarrassed. "Don't mind those. Yes, I know, I looked ridiculous."

Shane perked his head up to face the boy, "I don't think you look ridiculous, we all hit puberty at some point."

Ryan chuckled while going into his room he placed his backpack and held the camera up to Shane who stared at thing curiously. "Did you just get a camera? I can teach you all the features!" His eyes lit up like a fully-decorated Christmas tree along with a little grin of pleasure.

"Uh no, it's your gift. You seemed pretty heartbroken once your camera broke so I decided to get you one. After all, I couldn't have you just stop coming to my games due to the fact you don't have a camera. I actually appreciate you coming to the games." The basketball player chuckled while handing over the camera to the astonished Shane.

"Y-you got a camera- for me?"

"Yeah! Just for you." Ryan smiled wide while taking the strap of the camera, going on his tip-toes to place it around Shane's head. 

"Thank you!" Shane embraced the shorter student with a delightful smile and hugging him tightly.

Ryan wanted to stay like this forever. In Shane's grasp. It gave him a warm feeling in his heart just to see the boy he loved filled with pure bliss.

And then it stopped.

 


	3. Flash.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ryan and Shane get closer.

Shane stepped back, flustered towards his own actions.  _ How could I be so foolish? _ How could he give a light-hearted hug towards his crush and have it be not awkward? Not only that but he embarrassed himself. He just went in as if the two were dating and Ryan all of a sudden, reciprocated his feelings (which was highly unlikely).

The tall student took another step back, staring down at the messy carpet which Shane didn't mind for. His heart heaved with embarrassment and disappointment, mainly towards himself.  Shane then began to fidget with his delicate fingers as it was a coping method to deal with rough situations. However, there was nothing to ease his stress about his recent action.

"Hey, you okay?" The photographer snapped his head up in a light swish, gazing immediately at the boy who seemed unfazed by Shane's embrace.  _ Wouldn't he be weirded out?  _ He wasn't though. Ryan stood there five feet and ten inches staring up at the taller one with concerned eyes but a reassuring smile. His face wasn't in disgust. He didn't look uncomfortable. He looked worried.

Shane didn't move his head, instead, he took another petite step backwards. "Eh- sorry about that..." The voice came out as a low mumble that it was barely audible to Ryan, and still, he heard it.

"About what?" Ryan lifted one eyebrow up of confusion. To him, the hug was a thankful gesture but Shane couldn't recognize that in the panic he was in.

"Hug-ging you out of nowhere." His voice was still a mumble and he shifted his head back towards the ground uncomfortably.  _ God, what have I done? _  Shane peered towards the crack of Ryan's open door, keeping his head stuck to the ground while still ready to sprint into what seemed like the abyss. The anxiousness the photographer felt started getting to him physically. Shane's knees began to shake with a slight tremor, while his vision filled with nothingness.

Ryan's reassuring eyes, along with his face, now filled with pain. A deep exhale was released from the shorter person as he walked to Shane. No sign of stress. He looked up towards him with a grin, stood up on the tip of his toes and embraced him, resting his chin on Shane's shoulder. "No need to be sorry," Ryan whispered while a secret grin that tugged at his lips.

Shane felt a sense of serene fill him that forthwith, destructed his feeling of regret. From an unknown perspective, the hug would look be seen as awkward. Two high-school students who never talked much, were now holding each other in their arms all of a sudden. Quite the particular sight. In fact, Jake, Ryan's brother, noticed through the diminutive gap between the door and it's frame. He looked perplexed and lifted one finger, about to speak something and then dropped it. His head cocked towards the sight, "Are you two dating?"

Shane's face filled with embarrassment as he backed away from his crush to face Jake. "Uh- well, two gu-"

He was immediately cut off by the anger-filled Ryan that for a slight second, Shane recalled seeing a grin before his face flushed with fury. The smaller boy walked hastily towards the door to slam it shut. "Mind your own business!" The taller one never recalled seeing him so upset. Ryan would always be found with a grin of some kind placed upon his lips but this was the first, the first time Shane saw him get so frustrated. For him? A loud exhale was released from Ryan as he turned around with the same natural, small smile. "Don't- mind him. He's just trying to annoy me."

Shane nodded slowly while tapping his foot as well. Several seconds of silence hung in the air and then Ryan broke it. "So should we test out your camera," His eyes opened wide with a hint of excitement in them. His smile was slowly filling up his mouth as it got bigger and wider. The taller one nodded eagerly, matching Ryan's same beam. He took the strap tied to the camera, off himself and started turning the camera on and setting the features up. Shane had already known prior knowledge about the camera in his hand as it was his dream camera (some would suggest) to him.

Ryan ran to his bed and sat towards the end of it, patting it antsy for motioning Shane to sit next to him. The taller of the two followed Ryan and showed all the features while explaining them in depth.

After describing everything about the camera, Ryan simply nodded with a huge grin. "That's a lot. Now should we take the first ever photo or what?" He was like a little kid again. Smiley. Excited. Full of bliss.

Shane thought the other's interest was the cutest thing ever but would never say it aloud. "Okay," Shane started prepping camera, making sure to turn the flash off. He didn't want to blind Ryan. "Strike a pose!"

At the moment, an invisible lightbulb popped over Ryan. The boy got up and opened the door through his closet, rummaging and throwing stuff. A minute later, an "ah ha!" escaped his mouth as Ryan held up a small basketball hoop that gets placed over doors. He also dug up the miniature basketball that went with the hoop. He got up with the hoop, tossing the ball to Shane (and him missing the catch) and opened the door to his room to place the hoop on. Mini helpless grunts came out of his mouth as Ryan jumped up and down, just barely making it each time. Shane got up placing the basketball on the bed and headed towards Ryan. He held his hand out in a gentleman-like manner, "May I?" Ryan had an amused face while he slowly chuckled. He gave Shane the hoop. The brown-haired boy raised the arm holding the hoop and placed the rim of it on the top of the door without showing any sign of struggle.

Ryan crossed his arms over his chest with an amused smirk. "Show off," He chuckled while letting his arms fall down to his waist. 

"It's not my fault I'm tall," Shane defended while putting his hands in the air, palms facing Ryan. The shorter one's laughter brought a slow smile that crept to Shane's face.

Ryan let out a playful snort as he grabbed the miniature ball from the bed with a swift grasp and headed back towards the hoop. "Picture time?" 

Shane nodded setting up the non-blurry mode on the camera already knowing what the other one was planning what pose to do. He came to his knees as he put one eye through the view finder and the other eye was closed shut as could be. "Three. Two. One."

_Flash._

Ryan (overdramatically) jumped a few inches off the ground as he formed a professional basketball player pose with one arm next to the hoop and the wrist bent inward.

"He shoots and he scores!" Shane cheered while laughing at the basketball player's theatrical pose. He got up from kneeling on the floor and got the image up on the LCD display while sitting on the bed with one leg crossed and the other hanging off. 

Ryan joined in with the laughter as he chucked the miniature basketball back in the closet and sat next to the brown-haired boy leaning in (too close perhaps) to see the picture. "Who needed that picture from the actual game when you have this one on your brand new camera?!"

"As much as I wish to put this in the school's newspaper, I'm sure no one would allow me to."

"Disappointing." Ryan clicked his tongue while shaking his head in false disappointment but soon laughing again at his awful attempt to look real.

The photographer laughed as well for the same reason as Ryan but a flutter and a sense of joy entered his chest as he realized how cute he looked laughing. Ryan's laughter was extremely distinct that anyone could pick it up within a mile. His one hand cupped over his mouth as he held the widest smile, teeth showing but still laughing. 

_C'mon big guy, don't blush._

However, Shane's thoughts didn't do anything except make him blush.

The gentle smiled that was bestowed to Ryan could make anyone blush.

For the next hour, the two talked about things while Shane laid face up on the floor and Ryan on his bed face up.

They talked about things such as how Shane got into photography or how Ryan's accuracy when it came to basketball was beyond exceptional.

The one topic Ryan mentioned that stood out to Shane was how he thought him and Sara were dating. To that, he shook his head and replied with, "We're just friends." 

"Dinner's ready!"

Shane lifted his head up, still laid down on the bed, and turned to Ryan, "Looks like I got to go. Bye Ryan." He got up with a swift leg off the bed but a groan as well. He grabbed his new camera with fragile hands and put the strap around his neck.

Ryan looked up, at first with a neutral facial expression, which soon turned to distraught as he instantly got up with his usual, friendly smile but urgency. "You aren't staying for dinner?"

"It's a school night and my parents aren't stupid enough to believe yearbook club doesn't end till six. See ya... Ry' guy. Do people still call you that cause I remember everyone called you that in like fifth grade and I don't know-"

"It's chill," He chuckled at the intense panic rising in Shane's voice due to absolutely nothing, "no one really calls me that nowadays so I guess it will just be your thing."

A slight laughter of relief left the taller student's mouth as he gave a shaky, small wave to Ryan, "Thanks for the camera again. Is there anything I should do to pay you back? I think I have a fifty laying around in my room if that's enough but it probably isn't."

"Just show up at my games." Ryan shrugged at the fairly simple request, leaning against the wall with crossed arms.

"Will do! Bye Ryan!" The overjoyed Shane left Ryan's house in a swish of happiness. Once he hit the streets, the brown-haired boy ran through them like there was no tomorrow. 

_If this is what love feels like, I don't want it to end._

_But there's rejection._

  
  
  
  
  
  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> how did that go?  
> as you can see, this took longer to update BUT it is the chapter that had the most words and I actually tried to spend extra hours trying to perfect my english just for this story!  
> Tumblr: APersianNerd


	4. His Smile.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "We shall never know all the good that a simple smile can do." -Mother Teresa

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I honestly didn't expect this story to go in this direction but here we are. 
> 
> Disclaimer, English isn't my first language so grammar, spelling or simply lack good writing skills will be present in this story. 
> 
> Also, sorry for the long time it took to update, like I mentioned, I didn't expect this story to go in this direction, I was just kind of messing around and stuff and ta-da in return, I got the writer's devil- writer's block.
> 
> Also if you're subscribed to this, you may have gotten a notification saying something like, "APersianNerd published chapter four of Just A Highschool Lovestory."
> 
> I accidentally published it and im sorry for giving you false hope but here's a longer chapter

The next morning, Ryan woke up with a deep feeling of just plain bliss. Yesterday afternoon felt like a dream, too good to be true.

The boy then got dressed in an LA Lakers jersey along with skinny jeans. As he was putting on his Jordan's, his dad yelled from downstairs, "Hijo, the bus will be here soon!"

"Comin'!" He grabbed his backpack and ran down the stairs, almost tripping. His mother handed him a waffle covered to each end with peanut butter, "Thank you." Ryan took a bite before opening the door in a swift motion before running to the bus stop.

The bus ride for the first few minutes went fine as he looked out the window eating his waffle while listening to music with his headphones. That was until the three same students who pinned Shane against a wall and shattered his camera, hopped on the bus heading towards Ryan. One student sat next to him, pushing his backpack on to Ryan's lap and the other two sitting directly behind him. He took his headphones off and placed them around his neck as he turned his back to the seat and looked at the harassers in confusion. "Yes?"

"So how's your little boyfriend doing?" Ryan knew exactly what they were talking about and it pissed him off. They didn't care about Shane! They just wanted to antagonize Ryan right now. "Why do you all of a sudden give a damn? I didn't see that after the state championship game."

"Can a person not change, Ryan?" The fake sincerity the student's voice that was next to him angered Ryan even more. 

"Yes but I highly doubt students who find destroying the passion of others fun, harass other, and simply jerk off in class can change within a few days. I can sense your bullshit a mile away, nice try though." Ryan gave a smug little grin towards the students as he pushed the one sitting next to him when he noticed the bus pulling up to the school.

"You're dead Bergara!" He got up and started walking to the exit of the bus giving a slow wave towards the three students.

* * *

"They said that? To you?!"

"Yeah, it was quite humorous seeing them fail."

Zach was in total shock as Ryan found the experience funny. It wasn't! "Do you not realize that those students  _will_ beat you up if given the chance?" The rest of the friend group besides Ryan nodded in agreement.

"I'm not like you, Zach, where my back hurts every five seconds."

"Hey!" Eugene who was sitting across Ryan, leaned in staring at him with a glare. "Don't bring his problems into your mouth." The taller of the two sat back down and gave his lover a gentle kiss on the forehead.

"Whatever, my point is I can take them if they do manage to make me a target practice," Ryan defended.

"Let's just move on to a next topic?" Jen suggested as she could feel the tension rising within her two friends, "How about that?" 

"Okay, how was hanging out with Shane?" Ned asked nonchalantly. 

"It went pretty well." 

"I highly doubt that," Steven mentioned, "I think it went better. I think we should ask the guy himself." He then got up and headed towards Shane who was sitting on the nasty floor of the lunchroom along with Sara.

* * *

"I see something in you and Ryan after what you told me! I see something's going to happen!"

Shane laughed as he wiped away the tears from his eyes, "Of course you see something!"

"Hey," Sara exclaimed, "What's that supposed to mean?"

"Oh, just ya' know, your so-called 'witchy powers'!"

"Oh my-"

"Do you want to sit at my table?"

The two looked up at an unfamiliar face but one person they saw throughout the halls, Steven Lim with a raised eyebrow.

"Where do you even sit?" Shane asked.

Steven turned around and pointed to his table where Eugene, Zach, Jen, and Ned were all eagerly waving at the two and Ryan mouthing  _It's fine._  

The two friends looked at each other and in one second of a glance, they knew the answer.

"Sure." They both replied in unison.

Shane got up first and helped Sara up by holding her food tray while she got up. 

"Well aren't you the gentleman," Steven commented on Shane's actions as he slowly started walking back to his table.

The two followed and stood there once they got to the table as Steven stole some chairs from another table and placing two of them between Ryan and Eugene.

"Thank you," The pair replied as they sat down, Shane next to Ryan and Sara sitting to the left of Shane. 

"So, a little birdy named Ryan told us that he invited you to his house yesterday and gave you a little present. Is that true?" Eugene asked.

The perplexment in Shane immediately became noticeable as soon as Eugene asked for the confirmation. His face started to heat up (and blush just a little), and he glanced towards Sara who was also puzzled by the abrupt question.

Ryan glanced towards his crush and took pity towards Shane who looked more confused than a lost puppy out in the street. His glance then switched over to Eugene, "Is that seriously how you greet someone, Gene? C'mon now." He then looked back at Shane who as well looked at Ryan more relieved than ever to be saved by his voice. "So the one who asked you the question, that's Eugene. He can be a dick but he has a heart of gold when he's with Zach, his boyfriend who's sitting next to him," Zach gave a partial wave towards Shane, "The one sitting next to Zach is Jen who's the only one around here with common sense."

Jen peaked up from her dish with a loaf of bread shoved in her mouth, "Huh?"

Shane chuckled with his lips forming a small grin as he knew the girl was joking. The very same grin that he had on made Ryan fall in love with Shane all over again.

The taller of the group turned back towards Ryan waving his hand in front of him, "Earth to Ryan?" 

He was immediately snapped out of his love-like trance and continued introducing everyone, "The one sitting next to Jen is Ned who can be pretty competitive and an asshole, only in football. Otherwise, he just says shit about his 'girlfriend'," Ryan put quotations when he said girlfriend, "who goes to another school."

"Hey, she's real! Her name is Ariel and she's going to be my wife!"

"Yeah, yeah. Keep telling yourself that loverboy." Ryan rolled his eyes while a smirk rested on his lips, "then finally we have Steven who invited you to sit at this table."

"So who are you?" Jen asked looking at Shane in a non-intimidating way compared to Eugene previously.

"Hi, I'm Shane, a photographer for the school newspaper." The student waved his hand a little and then pointed to Sara, "and that's Sara. She's been my best friend since childhood who's also on the school newspaper."

"Sweet so now that we all sang Kumbaya and got to know each other, did Mister Bergara give you a gift? Yay or nay?" Eugene leaned in just a tiny bit closer to Shane, invading Sara's personal space which made the girl move closer to her best friend.

"Oh yeah," Shane's face lit up just like a Christmas tree and Ryan leaned his face on his hand as he gazed up at the passion-filled Shane Madej. "He gave me a nice camera after three students on the team broke my previous one." He took the camera that was laying on his neck off and placed it on the table with the screen facing Eugene for him to see.

Eugene nodded simplicity along with the rest of the tablemates. "So what got you into photography?"

"Oh jeez," Sara sighed jokingly while placing her forehead into her palm, which gave Jen a sweet chuckle.

"Lemme tell you! This might sound cliche but a picture can contain a thousand words."

Shane went on about how pictures are so rare because it's just a still of a millisecond that happened in the 6.4 billion years on earth. He also went on about how much he loved the gift but Ryan got lost in the words he spoke and every sound around him died out.

He noticed the way when Shane would smile, his front teeth would only peek out but they were the shiniest pair of teeth the boy had ever seen. The joy that would spread from them would intoxicate everyone within a twenty feet radius. His eyes would also crinkle up and it would make it like his eyes were also grinning as well. The dimples on the side of his lips would be visible to everyone when they weren't in hiding. 

Eventually, the bell for the next class rang and Ryan got up to throw away his tray. On his way, he noticed Shane walking towards the exit and ran to him. The boy gave him a tap on the shoulder which made Shane jump a little.

"Yeah?"

"I think you were pretty great company at our table and would be wondering if you would like to sit with us again?" 

"Uh, sure!"

Ryan beamed at him before running towards his locker, grabbing his stuff for his next class.

* * *

The school day went by slow and it angered Ryan. He wanted to have lunch for the next day right away just so he could hear Shane's sweet voice ring through his ears. Once the bell rang for dismissal the student ran out the class, which received a glare from the teacher. He shoved his homework in his backpack, zipped it up partially and ran out of the building headed towards the bus but was rudely interrupted after a certain someone tripped him which then, an "umph" escaped from Ryan.

The three students who smashed Shane's camera were standing above the boy as he laid on his back, helpless. They had their hands on their waist and were giving the most intimidating glare Ryan had ever seen.

"Earlier, I said that you're dead Bergara and I always keep my word." The student then took a jab at Ryan punching him in the jaw which sent a stinging pain flow throughout his mouth. He got up but was sent back down in a swift punch towards the stomach.

All Ryan felt was pain and it sucked.

* * *

"I think they're a nice group of pals for the most part. Eugene was getting into my space and it kind of freaked me out," Sara admitted.

"Yeah but he and Zach are pretty cute together. Just last period I saw them booping each other on the noses."

Shane then noticed from the distance a crowd of people circling around something. Everyone in that circle was chanting "beat him up" and he knew something was up. Shane's pace quickened which turned into a slow jog which then turned into the fastest sprint he had ever run. 

Thanks to his tall height, he quickly noticed it was Ryan getting beat up.

_What the literal fuck._

Shane shoved the people through to get to the center of the circle. The chant died out like a fire turning into just a flickering flame and all eyes were on him, including the broken Ryan's. 

"Hey!" His voice was unrecognizable as it was the scariest it had ever been. Even Shane was surprised. The very same voice also gave others wide-eyes of surprise. "What the hell do you think you're doing."

_Just keep that same voice and maybe, just maybe they'll back off._

One of the three bullies stepped up and while he wasn't as tall as Shane, he still was above average. He gave a shove towards his chest which Shane didn't show any sign of reacting. "Oh, just beating up, Bergara."

Shane lightly chuckled on purpose to piss off the three guys, showing them that they were pathetic. And it worked, the shortest of the three switched their facial expression from smirking to glaring. "Are you seriously that petty? No wonder you don't have any friends. The total amount of friends you got are smaller than your dick and that's saying something." Some students went "oooh" as the insult was pretty humorous to them. 

However, this was unlike Shane. Shane was the type of guy who would stand to the side at events and you wouldn't notice he was there. He was the type of guy who would despise bullies but never do anything about it.  _The type of guy who wanted to help and defend others but never found the courage to_. Yet what he was doing right now, defied all of that.

"Shut up, Mad-"

The principal of the school made his way through the crowd, gentle pushing students aside. 

"What in god's green earth is happening?"

Ryan, who was panting and exhausted finally got up, "Those three kids beat me up. Shane stopped it all."

The principal shifted his head towards the three kids and released a glare before yelling, "Students besides you three, head to your buses and if you don't have a bus, keep walking." 

Everyone paced outwards and the principal brought the three kids to his office which just left Shane and Ryan.

"Why did you do that?"

"Do what?"

"Step in."

"No one was going to do it for you so I was there."

Ryan nodded while a soft grin, just like his mother, was on his lips.

"Now, let's get you home."

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> comments and kudos are appreciated.
> 
> i also love criticism.
> 
> i'll try and keep this up but summer is getting busier and busier cause of personal life stuff


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